What is an electronic portfolio?
By definition, a digital or electronic portfolio is a purposeful collection of work, captured by electronic means, that serves as an exhibit of individual efforts, progress, and achievements in one or more areas (Weidmer, 1998).

What is the electronic portfolio for education majors for the new millenium?
The electronic portfolio strategy is a measurement tool that allows the gathering of multiple measures during one's teacher preparation program.  Evidence provides verification of skills as well as verification of the ability to make applications with a diverse population of students in various educational settings.

Purposes for the electronic portfolio assessment strategy for prospective teachers allows our majors to:
    - engage in extended activities relating instruction and assessment and practicing the art of self-assessment
    - make choices in their work and observe the effects of their choices
    - reflect on their work, examine the products, the processes and strategies used to determine the sample work that is most characteristic of the students, as prospective teachers
 

Timeline:  Construction of an Electronic Portfolio From Freshman Seminar through Pre-Service Teaching

Functions of an Electronic Portfolio:

• Display range of student work over time
• Provide important information about individual student progress
• Allow participation of student in self-assessment of work and progress
• Create a basis for evaluation of student performance and achievement

• More active involvement of the student in the selection and design process
• Unique way to display talents and abilities
• Strong sense of personal responsibility and ownership
• Fuller picture of student achievement
• Can show examples of performance assessment
• Condenses collection of data and artifacts and reduces quantity of paper handled and stored
• Requires reflection
• Integrates technology into the instruction process
• Can heighten interest in learning
• Enables performances to be viewed more than once in context
• Wider audience and support system for student work

• Decide on portfolio goals based on learner outcome goals
• Decide on the assessment context
• Decide on the audience for the portfolio
• Determine the portfolio content
• Determine the most appropriate software tools
• Determine the most appropriate storage and presentation medium
• Gather multimedia materials to include in the portfolio which represent the learner’s achievement
• Record student self-reflection on the work selected and achievement of goals
• Record teacher feedback on the work and achievement of goals
• Organize with hypermedia links between goals, student work samples, rubrics, and assessment
• Present portfolio to appropriate audience
• Evaluate effectiveness of portfolio in relation to the purpose and assessment context

• Purpose of portfolio
• Nature of outcomes
• Focus of evidence
• Time span of portfolio
• Nature of evidence

• Text
• Sound
• Images
• Video
• Mixed media products

Types of Rubrics
    Holistic - Evaluates overall impression
    Analytic - Evaluates specific points

Rubric Components
    Scoring Criteria - The points for evaluation
    Criteria Discriptors - These describe expectations for each criteria
    Scoring Levels - The range of evaluation choices

Outcomes when using Portfolios and Rubics
    Tools for Student Self-evaluation - students learn most about the quality of work when they do their own evaluation

Principles of Rubrics (EECAP Workshop, M. Allen, 1997)
    Texts which are visible signs of agreed-upon values: can not contain all the nuances of the evaluation community's values, but they do contain the central expressions of those values.

    Need to grow out of and be accompanied by discussion

    Rubics can be changed by discussion; they are not permanent

    Rubrics should be available to students in some form

RUBRIC FORMAT:

4    Master = Outanding work; work rich in depth and precise detail, consistent presentation
3    Veteran = Clear conceptual understanding of information, proficient in  professional  ideas
2    Apprentice =  Beginning conceptual understanding; main idea board with little details
1    Novice =  Insufficient preparation, weak organization, incorrect information
 
 

Criterion	1  Novice	2  Apprentice	3  Veteran	4 Master
organization mechanics	most links  do not work	links not clear	most links work,  clearly labeled, easy to navigate	multi-linked pages all links work, links clearly labeled
graphics	no graphics	only clip art no use of scanned pictures no color background, no variety of fonts	clear clip art, clear  scanned pictures,  color background,  some variety of fonts	clear clip art, clear  pictures, good use  of color, variety of  fonts
content relevancy	only personal information	mostly personal info, no course work or field samples	examples of related course work or field samples	outstanding examples of related course work or field examples
self reflections	no reflective pieces	mostly descriptive-not telling why pieces were included	some personal reflection of pieces	excellent integration of experiences and theory, thoughtful reflections

                            Sample Student Portfolio: Michael Manganello
 
 

Freshman Year

Sophomore Year

Junior Year

Senior Year

If you have any questions of comments, please e-mail Dr. Barbara Cozza or Mike Manganello

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